Sheet-folding machine



Nov. 16,1926. 1 ,607,407

. v w. F. MAYER I SHEET FOLDING MACHINE Filed Dec 1925 3 Meets-Sheet 1 Nov. 16,1926. 1,607,407

w. F. MA YER SHEET FOLDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 24 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 16 1926. 1,607,407

W. F. MAYER SHEET FOLDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 24 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet Patented Nov. 16, 1926.

UNITED STATES WALDEMAR F. MAYER, F ST.'ALBANS, VERMONT, ASSIGNOR TO THil ALBA CORPORA- TION, OF ST. ALBANS, VERMONT, A CORPORATION 01 VERMONT.

SHEET-FOLDING Macrame. I

Application flied December '24, 1925. Serial No. 77,568.

This invention relates to sheet folding machines, and more particularly to such machines in which a single sheet is folded by a double-fold into four sections lying parallel and in juxtaposition.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a machine of this type in which the entire work of folding is automatic and is controlled by a single timing cam.

A further object ,is to provide a single folding bar mechanism by which a double fold may be made at'predetermined points of a sheet. I

In the drawings: Fig; 1 is a section on line 1--1 of Fig. 2,

showing the driving connections and general assembly of'the machine.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 at an enlarged scale. i I

Fig. 4 is a view of the cam folder blade lever, and tripper latch assembly on an en-.

largedv scale.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Figs. 6 to 11 are diagrams showing the operation of obtaining a double fold by this machine. s

Referring to these drawings, the folding machine is represented as having the 'end frames 1 whichare held in spaced relation by the spacing bars 2-2. The machine is located on thefloor 'of a laundry in suitable relation to the delivery belt 3 of a laundry ironing machine which passes over the rollor 4. The feeding tapes 5 for this folding machine pass over the roller 6 locatedv at the outboard end of arms 7" whichare rar'ried by the frame members 1 of the machine in any suitable manner, and are preferably adjustable so that they may be disposed in proper position beneath the delivery belt 3 of" the ironing machine. are held apart and in .proper spaced parallel These tapes 5--5- relation'by a series of guide fingers 8 which 'Fig. 1. Thetapes move in the direction shown by the arrows and feed a sheet, as.

shown at S, into the machine.

A second series ofparallel endless tapes 12 pass over the two rollers 13 and 14 which are likewise journaled in the end frames l-1- of the machine, and for a portion between the rollers 13 and. 11 move in the same direction, and close to the endless tapes 5-5, so that the sheet S may be held and advanced by the two series of tapes. These tapes 12 are likewise held in continuous spaced relation and exact parallelism by the downwardly extending loops 15 which are rigidly secured in. one of the spacing bars.2 of the main frame, as may be seen more particularly in Fig. 3.

The main driving shaft 16 is likewise journaled in the sides of the mainframe, as shown at 17, and has thereon a belt, pulley 18 which may be driven by the belt 1 9 from any suitable external source of power. This shaft likewise carries and by a featherkey 2O drives a sprocket wheel 20 which receives the chain 21, which in its turn passes over the similar sprocket wheels 22, 23, 24

and 25 mounted, respectively, in keyed re lation to the rollers 13, 14, 26 and-11, then returning to the sprocket wheel 20. In this way the several elements 16, 13, 14, 26 and 11 are driven in positive relation to each other and at a substantially constant speed during the operation of the machine. The roller 26 is likewise journaled at its ends in the s'de members 1 -1 of the main frame, and serves as an intermediate-roller for guiding the tapes 12 and for the purpose of accomplishing the double fold, as will be more fully described hereinafter. v

Likewise journaled in the end frames of the machine is the shaft 27 of a pair of cams 27 whichare rigidly connected with the large sprocket wheels 28; the cams .27 and sprocketwh'eels- 28, therefore, turn in unison. During the operation of folding one sheet this cam makes a single rotation, and dur ng this rotation successively. 1mtlates the various movements necessary for folding of the sheet. After the sheet has been folded this cam again comes to a standstill, awaiting the arrival of the next sheet.

The sprocket wheel 28 is connected by a chain 30 with a smaller sprocket wheel 31', which is mounted on the shaft 16 and is ro tated thereby. As shown in Fig. 3, the sprocket wheel 20 is keyed to shaft 16 by means of feather key 20*, and has a permissive longitudinal movement with regard to the shaft 16. A coiled spring 32 serves to force the sprocket wheel 20 in one direction; i. e., outwardly toward the end frame 1. The other end of the spring 32 rests against the race 22 of a thrust ball bearing34 which is held in invariable position longitudinally with regard to the shaft 16 by a collar 35 and a. set-screw 36. Formed integral with the sprocket wheel 20 is a hub member 37 which has a groove 38. The block 39, shown in Fig. 3 as being secured on the feeler shaft. 40, is capable of adjustment longitudinally thereof by a set-screw 41. A pivot 42 on this block serves as a fulcrum for the tripper latch 43, which has a slot 44, with rollers 44 in its middle sectionto fit over the groove 38 in the hub section 37. The free end 45 of this latch projects into the path of a plate 46 and dog 46 as will be described hereinafter. it is apparent that the sprocket '20 is moved in one direction or inward along the shaft 16 against the action of the spring-32 by the movement of the latch 43 in the groove 38; and that the sprocket 20 is moved in the opposite direction by the recoil of spring Mounted on each end of the shaft 16 and within the end frames 1 is a sprocket 31 as set forth above. This sprocket is formed rigidly or integrally with regard to a hub section 47 which has an outstanding radial flange 48 provided with a friction surface of leather or the like 49, on its face adjacent the sprocket wheel 20. hen the sprocket wheel 20 is forced against this frictional material 49 by the spring 32, the sprocket wheel 20 causes a rotation of the flange 48 and the sprocket wheel 31, which, by means of the chains 30, causes the rotation ofthe sprocket wheels 28,.and thereby the rotation of the cams 27.

As shown in Fig. 4, each of these cams 27 has the dWell-50 of relatively small diameter, and the dwell 51 of relatively large diameter, separated by the ascending surface 52 and the descending surface 53. The roller 54 carried on the lever arm '55 rides on the successive parts of this cam surface. These levers 55 are pivoted at 56 on the machine frame. It will be understood that one of these levers and its appurtenances is mounted at each end of the machine, and that the free ends of these levers are connected bv a folding blade 57 which extends across the machine. hen the roller 54 is on the portion 50 of the cam 27, the lever 55 will be in its lowermost position, as

shown in Figs. 8 and 9, and when the roller 54 is on the raised portion 51 of the cam 27,

the folder bar 57 will be in its uppermost of tapes 5 and 12, to cause a movement of the yoke lever 43 at right angles to the axis of shaft 16, and thereby provoke a movement of the sprocket wheel 20 into c011- tact with the friction material 49 under the action of spring 32, and thus initiate a movement of the cam wheel 27. Mounted "on the cam wheel 27 isa plate 62 which carries the beveled plate 46 opposite the free end 45 of the tripper latch 43. As shown in Fig. 11, when during the rotation of the cam 27 the bevel plate 46 comes in contact with the free end of the latch 43, the lever is forced away from the end frame of the machine against the action of spring 32, and the sprocket 20 is disengaged from the friction material 49, and the cam 27 is thus brought to a standstill, and held therein by the engagement of the end 45 of the'latch 43 against the dog 46*, as shown in Fig. 5.

The operation of the machine is as follows: When a sheet S leaves the ironing machine by the delivery belt 3, it slides over the end of the roller 4 and is received by the tapes 55 of the folding machine. These tapes deliver the sheet S beneath the roller 13, where it is engaged by the second series of tapes 12. Since the pressure between the tapes 5 and the roller 13 maybe considerable, the sheet is held firmly in position. The advancing edge of the sheet shortly thereafter (Fig. 6) makes contact with the feeler fingers 61, and rock the same downward about the axis of the shaft 40. During this movement the block 39 is'caused to retract the latch 43 from the beveled plate 46. It will be noted that up until this moment the outwardly and axially extend-- ing dog 46 of the plate 46 has held the free end 45 of the latch 43 against movement, and vice versa, the free end 45 of the yoke lever has held the cam 27 against rotation.

The cam 27 now begins to rotate. The sheet P5 S continues in its movement between the two series of tapes 5 and 12, and falls over the far side of the roller 11, hanging freely downward in the middle of the machine, as shown in Fig. 7. After approximately onefourth of the length of the sheehhas passed The further rotation of the cam 27 permits the folding blade to drop by its own weight into the position shown in- Fig. 8, in which the blade 57 is presented against the stop bar extending across the machine. The-blade 57 in this position pinches the sheet S between itself and this stop bar 65 and prevents the sheet from slipping or running over the edge of the bar, and causes it to. be draped over this folding bar, so that the edge of the bar determines the line of fold at the double thickness of the material.

. 0 Since the rollers 13, 11, 14 and 26 continue to rotate, the central portion of the sheet now drops down behind the folder bar 57, as shown in Fig. 9, and three-quarters of the sheets now hang substantially in three parallel sections, with the remainder of the sheet still engaged by the tapes 5 and 12.

The size of the cam 27 and its speed of rotation are so calculated with regard to the length of the sheet that at the time when substantially only one-fourth of the sheet remains between the sets of tapes 5 and 12 the roller 54 is'encountered by the ascending portion 52 of the cam. The further rotation of the several parts causes the folding blade 57 to be raised by the levers 55, which are Cad forced outward by the engagement of the rollers 54 with the cams 27 so that the sheet is forced upwardly and into the angle between the tapes 12 and the ,roller 26, as

shown in Fig. 10. As described above, the creases formed at the upper edge of the folding blade 57 will come very closely to one fourth. the distance from each end of the sheet.

. The sheet. is thereafter engaged by the roller 26 and the tapes l2, and is pulled free from thehighly polished flat blade and is v delivered on the far side of the roller 26 in a double fold condition, as shown in Fig. 11, whence it falls onto the guide plate 66 and is' delivered to the'end table 67 of the machine.

Shortly after the folder blade 57 has presented the sheet to the tapes l2 and the roller 26 the rear or trailing edge of the sheet S passes the roller 13 andthe feeler fingers 61 again fly} upward into the spaces between the series of tapes 5 and 12, thus returnmg the tripper latch 43 to the original positionin the path of the bevel surface 46. The cam 27 continues to rotate until the'bevel surface 46 engages the free end 45 of the tripper latch 43 and forces the tripper latch away from the end frame l. The tripper latch 43, by its engagement with the groove 38, pulls the sprocket 20 out of engagement with the friction material 49, and the driving connection .betweensprocket 20 and the radial flange 48 is released. The cam 27,

upon which the above described operation repeats itself. 1

It is obvious that many modifications may be made in the arrangement of the various parts of the machine, and that in particular it is not limited to the production of a double fold sheet.

I claim:

l In a sheet folding machine, a first plurality of endless tapes to deliver a sheet to be folded into the machine, a second plurality of endless tapes running for a portion of their length parallel to' the first plurality of tapes and adapted to cooperate with them to hold and advance the sheet, a plurality of feeler fingers extending normally through the spaces between the first plurality of tapes and adapted to be rocked by engagement with the advancing edge of the sheet, a folder bar, a stop bar, means to move said folder bar against said stop bar to determine the position of the double fold and thereafter to move said folder bar into proximity with said second plurality of tapes to determine the position of the single fold.

2. In a sheet folding machine, a first mov- I able carrier, a second movable carrier to cooperate for a portion of its travel with said first carrier to introduce a sheet to be folded into said machine; a feeler finger ex- .tending through said first carrier and adapt- IOU ed to be rocked by contact with the advancing edge of the sheet, afolder bar, and

mechanism to successively move said folder bar to determine the position of the double fold and then the position of the single fold.

3. In a machine for folding sheets into four parallel sections by a double fold, a

timing device, means to move said timing device, means actuated by the entrance of the sheet to be folded into the machine to I initiate-amovement of said timing device, mechanism included in said tmung device to measure a predetermined portion of the len h of the sheet and thereafter to measure ant arrange a further predetermined portion of the length of the sheet parallel to such first portion, and means to bring the determined length of said sheet on one side of said bar, means to hold said material against slipping with regard to said bar, a

' folding mechanism, means to cause the delivery of a further predetermined length of the sheet on the other side of said bar, and to present said bar to said folding device for delivery of the sheet thereto.

(3. In a sheet double-folding machine, a folder bar, a folding mechanism, means to deliver a predetermined length of such sheet on one side of said folder bar, means to more said bar upon delivery of such predetermined length, said delivery means thereafter delivering a further predetermined length on the other side of said bar, said bar moving means thereupon presenting said sheet to said folding mechanism for completion of the double fold. I

7. In a machine for folding a sheet of material, a cam, a folder bar adapted to be rocked to and fro by said cam, a driving shaft, a separable clutch having one element driven from said shaft and adapted to drive said cam from its other element, a trigger latch to hold said cam stationary and to hold the elements of said clutch separated, and means released upon the entrance of a sheet of material into the machine to release said latch from saidv cam and connect the elements of said clutch to initiate a movement of said cam.

8. In a machine for folding a sheet of material, a cam, a folder bar adapted to be rocked to and fro by said'cam, means to deliver portions of said sheet on opposite sides of saidbar in lengths predetermined by the shape of said cam, a folding mechanism, means to actuate said delivering means and said folding mechanism, means released upon the entrance of a sheet to be folded into the machine to connect said actuating means with said cam to rotate the latter, said cam serving, after the delivery of predetermined lengths of the'sheet upon opposite sides of said bar, to effect the presentation of said sheet by said bar to said folding device.

9. In a sheet-folding machine, a first plurality of endless tapes to deliver a sheet to be folded into the. machine, a second plurality of endless tapes to cooperate with said first plurality of tapes for a portion of its length, a pivoted feeler finger projecting through said first plurality of tapes into the path of the sheet and adapted to be rocked thereby, a cam, a trigger latch to hold said cam against rotation, means connecting said feeler finger and said latch and adapter upon the'rocking of the said finger to disengage said latch from holding relation with regard to said cam, a driving shaft, a beveled plate on said cam to cooperate with said latch to move the latter axially with respectto said shaft, a separable clutch adapted to have its elements separated upon such axial movement of said latch and to be connected. upon the disengagement of said latch from said cam, and mechanism to connect said clutch, said-shaft and said cam to drive said. cam when said clutch is connected.

10. In a sheet double-folding machine, a movable carrier to deliver a sheet to be fold ed to the machine, a folding roller, a second movable carrier to cooperate with the first movable carrier to assist in positively delivering the sheet to the machine and passing over said folding roller and constituting therewith the folding mechanism, a folder bar, means to move said folder bar to different positions with regard to said first movable carrier to cause said sheet to be presented in predetermined proportions successively to opposite sides of said bar and drape suspended therefrom and to thereafter present said sheet in such draped condition between said folding roller and said second carrier.

11. in a sheet double-folding machine, a movable carrier to delivera sheet to he folded to the machine, a folding mechanism, means to drive said carrier and said folding mechanism continuously, a folder bar, mechanism to successively move said folder bar relative to said carrier to cause said bar to receive predetermined portions of said sheet on opposite sides thereof, and to present the portion of said sheet upon the edge of said bar to said folding mechanism.

12. In a sheet double-folding machine, a movable carrier to deliver the sheet to be folded to the machine, a folding mechanism, afolder bar, means to drive said carrier and said folding mechanism continuously, and mechanism to present said folder bar successively with regard to said carrier to receive predetermined portions of the sheet upon opposite sides thereof and to the folding mechanism to deliver said sheet thereto by the line-of-fold determined by such previous successive presentation to-the carrier.

13. In a sheet double-folding machine, a movable carrier to deliver the sheet to be folded to the machine, a folding mechanism, a folder bar, means to drive said carrier and said folding mechanism continuously, mechanism to present said folder bar successively with regard to said carrier to receive predetermined portions of the sheet upon opposite sides thereof andto the folding mechanism to deliver said sheet thereto by the line-of-fold determined by such previous successive presentation to the carrier, and means released by the entrance of the sheet into the machine to initiate the movement of said presenting mechanism.

14. In a sheet folding machine, a folder bar, a folder mechanism, and a timing mechanism including a single cam to cause said bar to receive predetermined portions of a sheet to be folded on opposite sides thereof and thereafter to lift and to present theportion of the sheet opposite the edge of said bar to said folding mechanism.

15. In a sheet double-folding machine, a

folder bar, a folding mechanism, means to move said bar, means to drape predetermined portions of a sheet to be folded over said bar in different ositions thereof, said bar-moving means a apted thereafter to present said predetermined-portions of the sheet against the remaining portion and to deliver the whole sheet to the foldingmechanism.

16. In a sheet double-folding machine, a folder bar, a folding mechanism, means to effect delivery of a predetermined portion of a sheet to be folded to opposite sides of said bar to establish a line-of-fold, said means thereafter causing presentation of such predetermined portions against the remainin portion of the sheet to determine a secon line-of-fold therein, and finally presentation of said lines-of-fold to the folding mechanism.

17. In a sheet double-folding machine, a

- movable carrier to deliver the sheet to be folded to the machine, a second movable carrier to cooperate with the first carrier, a folder bar, mechanism to move said folder bar to and fro beneath the delivery end of said first carrier to effect the'draping of said sheet upon said bar in timed relation to the entrance of said sheet into the machine, and a folding roller to cooperate with said second carrier to receive the draped sheet from the folder bar and complete the folding of the same.

18. In a sheet-folding machine, a, first movable carrier, a second movable carrier to cooperate with the first carrier for a portion of its length to introduce a sheet to be folded into the machine, a folding roller to cooperate with said second carrier, mechanism to receive the sheet from said carriers and measure and arrange the same and deliver it in folded condition to said second carrier and said folder.

19. The method of double-folding a sheet by a sole foldin mechanism which consists in measuring 0 a redetermined portion of the sheet to be fo ded, measuring off and placing a further predetermined portion of the sheet in arallelism with the first portion thereby to etermine the line of the double fold, bringing the remainder of the sheet into parallelism and juxtaposition with the predetermined portions to determine the line of the single fold and then presenting the line of the double fold to thefolding mechan1sm.-

20. The method of double-foldinga sheet by a sole folding mechanism with a sole folding bar, which consists in draping a sheet to be folded over the folding bar with substantially one-quarter of the sheet on each side of the bar, bringing said draped portions of the sheet against the remainder of the sheet to effect parallelism and juxtaposition of the four sections, and then presenting the part of the sheet lying upon the edge of the bar to the folding mechanism.

21. In a sheet folding mechanism, a'folder bar, a foldin mechanism, and a timing mechanism inc uding means to cause said bar to receive predetermined portions o-f a sheet to be folded on opposite sides thereof, said portions being draped over said bar, said means thereafter causing the bar 'to lift and present the portion of the sheet opposite the edge of said bar to said folding mechanism.

22. In a sheet folding machine, a folder bar, a folder mechanism and timing mechanism to cause said bar to receive fixed lengths of a sheet to be folded on opposite sides thereof and thereafter to lift the sheet at the division between such lengths opposite the edge of said bar to the said folding mechanism, whereby the folded articles will be of constant width.

23. In' a sheet folding machine, a folder bar, a folding mechanism, and a timing mechanism" having a single cam to actuate said bar to cause the same to receive fixed lengths of a sheet to be folded on opposite sides thereof, and thereafter to present the portion of the sheet opposite the edge of said bar to said folding mechanism.

24. In a sheet double-folding machine, a folder bar, a folding mechanism, and a timing mechanism to actuate the folder bar successively to cause the same to receive fixed first and second lengths of a sheet to be folded on opposite sides thereof, thereafter to cause the succeeding fixed third length of the sheet to be received in juxtaposition to said second length whereby the succeeding. further length is at the same side of the bar as is the .first length, and the joining line between the first and second lengths is adjacent the joining line of the third and fourth lengths, and thereafter to cause the sheet to be presented to the folding mech-' WALDEMAR F. mime. 

